Arkansas Levee Repairs Continue, Costs Increase

Repairs continue along the aging Arkansas River levee that protects downtown Pueblo from flooding.

This winter contractors removed about 3,000 linear feet of concrete from the face of the levee and replaced about a third of it so far.

Project engineer Kim Kock says additional work is needed around the structure that diverts water from the river to the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk of Pueblo, known as the HARP.

"If we can put this new wall in and do this little bit of remaining concrete replacement, we won't have to get back in the river to work on the HARP diversion structure with future phases," says Kock.

That work, plus the recent discovery that deep underground in the river the levee is wider than expected, will increase the cost of this phase of construction by some $330,000. It's likely it will take two more years to complete the repairs along the entire 2.8 mile long levee for a total cost of about $20 million.

This phase of work will be finished in the spring when water levels in the river begin to rise.

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As repairs on the aging Arkansas River levee move ahead, heavy equipment will cut through the image of a corn maiden, along with scores of other paintings that cover the 2.8-mile long levee.

Construction workers are taking extra care as they remove the corn maiden, and dozens of people gathered Thursday afternoon to say goodbye to this piece of local history. Poets, drummers and a woman dressed in a ceremonial mask were among those watching the work from across the river.

The levee that protects much of downtown Pueblo from potential floodwaters in the Arkansas River is about to get a major facelift. After levees failed in Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, FEMA made a push for levee certification. And for Pueblo’s aging Arkansas River levee this means an estimated 15 million dollar repair project and the destruction of its famous mural. The alternative is downtown properties would have to buy flood insurance. The process has brought to the forefront structural deficiencies.